Complete version (other version on archive.org is missing 1st 4 minutes)

Union solders have stolen The General, a Confederate train manned by Johnnie Gray, who was unable to enlist in the Confederate army because he is needed as an engineer.
The Union plans to use the train to supply its soldiers in a sneak attack against the Confederates.
But now it's up to Gray and his love, Annabelle Lee, to reclaim The General, recross enemy lines, and warn the Confederates.

The General based on a real incident during the American Civil War when a posse of northern soldiers hijacked a confederate train and a lone southern engineer found himself fighting the lot of them alone.


This movie is part of the collection: Silent Films

Director: Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman
Production Company: Buster Keaton, Joseph M. Schenck
Audio/Visual: silent, black & white
Keywords: Silent; Comedy; Romance; War; Buster Keaton

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Reviewer: Moongleam - - August 18, 2012
Subject: Permission
You don't need permission from anybody to show this; it's in the public domain.

Here's a better copy:
http://archive.org/details/The_General_Buster_Keaton

Reviewer: paul31 - - August 17, 2012
Subject: Great film!
I work at a museum, and was wondering if I could get permission from the person the who uploaded this film to show at our museum?

Reviewer: JeffZHigs - - January 14, 2011
Subject: Awesome!
Buster Keaton is one of my favorite actors, when I say actor, I mean actor.

It's like he has a 6th sense with trains, he makes all his props feel alive when he interacts with them.

Reviewer: Cat Lady - - July 14, 2008
Subject: Aargh.
There's an odd written card commentary at the start by someone who clearly wasn't acquainted with Buster Keaton and his world.

The soundtrack is also pretty bad: they start off the opening credits, believe it or not, with "Pomp And Circumstances." I just shut it off after that.

I miss the first 4 minutes of the other "General" here at the Archive, but at least that's got a decent soundtrack and direct contact with Buster.